Music and light in all their possible formats will be the protagonists of the opening ceremony of the Copa del América. The gala, which will take place on the Mar Bella breakwater although it will appear to spectators to float on the sea, will feature an ephemeral structure that will evolve until it becomes a lighthouse. Its powerful light will also illuminate one of the most international emblems of the city: the Sagrada Família. As La Vanguardia reported yesterday, the gala will be held on October 10 at night and in addition to the entire lighting setup, the singers Silvia Pérez-Cruz and Bad Gyal are expected to participate.
The Temporary Business Union (UTE) formed by the Barcelona company Focus, the Lavinia Group (specialized in the audiovisual industry), the creative studio Igor (expert in the creation of music and video) and the company Flock Drone Art, which has already made The last pyromusical of La Mercè 2023 have been selected by the Fundació Barcelona Nàutica AC24 to carry out the show. The proposal has a budget of two million euros.
The stage is a declaration of intentions. The structure of the lighthouse and the rest of the scenery – four platforms – that will be built on the breakwater, will be focused on Bogatell beach, where the organizers expect that around 40,000 people will be able to follow the gala live. In this main and free-access auditorium, it is also planned to install giant screens to be able to follow all the details of the show, as well as a special installation so that the sound arrives in the best conditions.
Music will be the main ingredient of a proposal that has also been conceived as a great visual spectacle, with many elements that will be visible from the entire city, because they will pass in the sky. Here the creativity of Flock Drone Art comes into play, which will be in charge of executing the aerial choreographies. The drones will be equipped with LED lights creating colorful patterns in the air, while they will interact with the music throughout the show.
In addition to the artistic forms, they will also be in charge of drawing the logo of the America's Cup and the name of the two teams that will compete in the America's Cup Match: Emirates Team New Zealand, defender of the oldest trophy in the world, and the team that win the Louis Vuitton Cup, for which Ineos Britannia, Alinghi Red Bull Racing, Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli Team, NYYC American Magic and Orient Express will fight for between August 29 and October 7.
The light show will have a definitive weight in the structure of the lighthouse and different types of projectors, stage lights, moving lights, LED screens, lasers and other visual elements will be used. Another of the high moments will occur when several real sailboats come onto the “scene,” which will sail in the most spectacular way next to the ephemeral lighthouse.
In addition to marking a turning point in the America's Cup, the gala has been conceived as an element of international projection for the city, taking advantage of the impact of this historic regatta. Starting on October 11, the peak days will arrive with the finals of the youth and women's categories and the America's Cup Match.
